Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-13
MlTCHELLT0WN'S MOB.
THE COMMONS AT LOGGERHEADS
OVER THE AFFAIR.

Moonlight Outrage-OBrien in jail
Lonergan's FuneraI-Riots, etc.
LONDON, Sept. 13-The house of commons
Monday night presented a lively scene.
Every one was strung up to high pitch of
excitement. As was expected the appropria-
ton hill was dispatched with scant ceremony
and relegated Immediately to a committee.
Hareourt then began the attack upon the
government for the recent troubles in Ire
land He denounced the government in
warm language for their course in Ireland,
and demanded that the house be Informed as
to what instructions had been given the po-
lice regarding the holding of meetings in
Ireland. He also desired to know if it was
true that Sir Redvers Butler had resigned
the under secretaryship, and the reason for
his doing SO. The speaker then proceeded to
depict the character OF the meetings that had
been held at Ennis and Mitchellstown ami
claimed the right for the Irish, in common
With their English brethren, to assemble to-
gether for the purpose of denouncing the !
actions and policy pursued by the legislature
| under whose government they were. "Some
Tory journals" averred Harcourt, shave
| suggested that machine guns be used
against the Irish and The Times
has used such language as has
never before degraded the press of free
country Ii the advice of the Unionist press
be followed, what between machine guns,
evictious and Tory landlords, very soon few
Irish will be left If the government be-
lieves in this policy let them try the expert
ment of their new doctrine upon the people
| of England Short work would be made of
the government if they did so, and their
downfall would be complete"
THE heart of England" he concluded, els
with the Irish in indicating their right to
hold public meetings, and will support them
until Justice is done The meetings must and
will continue in all parts of Ireland, and the
government will have their hands full in
trying to suppress them"
Balfour then announced that he was in
receipt of dispatch from Lisdoon station
that five moonhghters had been captured in a
farmers house, Constable Wheelan killed and
three of the police seriously injured The
dispatch stated that the rifles, revolvers and
anu milton of the moonlighters had been
captured. 1t appears, Balfour claimed, that
the gang had gone to this house, which was
occupied BY a farmer named Sexton, intend
| DlE To Nil HIlll E,tAbDu ndl bttu SuuIitlOutu
by the league and cenSured for holding his
farm in opposition to their commands. He
then agreed to surrender the farm, but failed
to do So Therefore the moonlighters went to
the house. and entered it and were about to
shoot Sexton when the police, who had been
in ambush outside, surprised them, and the
fight occurred which resulted fatally for
Head Constable Wheean
He then proceeded to reply to Harcourt,
and said that the Instructions given to the
police WERE precisely the same as those given
when Harcourt himself was minister Re
gardmg the resignation Of Sir Redvers Bull
Ter, Baltour declared that his appointment to
the Irish secretaryship was only temporary
one and that he had resigned because he de-
sired TO return to the war office ANY sur
mise that there was a difference between Sir
Redvers Butler and the ministry was abso-
llutey false. Referring to the contention that
the suppression of meetings in ireland was
Illegal. Bafour said that it was matter of
history that under the common law in Ire
land, Harcourt had joined Gladstone, who
was then premier, and Foster, then Irish sec
Rotary, in proclaiming 100 meetings.
THE question" continued Balfour, lis not
whether the action of the government is le-
gal but whether it is polite. 1t is I'M
portant to consider the condition of Ennis,
which is notorious center of agraran
crime 1t is absurd to describe such meet
ings are held there as opportunities for
free discussion only. They are heralded by
inflammatory placards. and the obvious Oh
iect of the meeting was to defeat law and to
foster outrage and intimidation. As for
Mitchelitown,' said the secretary, lit is as
certained that the police had immense provo
cation They were assaulted and stoned. and
struck with blackthorns before they drew
their batons 1t was not until they
were disor4iered by r charge Of horsemen
and were knocked down. ounded and forced
to fly for their lives that the police fired The
firing was absolutely necessary to protect
the barracks and the unfortunate police
stragglers outside 1t was not random firing
by men IN panic, but a deliberate act
ordered by the commander The police are
amply justified for their actions The sole
responsibility rests with those who contem-
plated the meeting"
Balfour concluded by declaring that the
government would not waver from the line
pected little assistance from the opposition,
Dut VIII bUSH HliSlldhbH bHGN pei =
severe in a course which could only end in
Cancellation OF Ireland
Labouchere, who was present at Mitchell
town on the day of the affray, and saw all
that occurred there, stated that the whole
blame rested upon the police. He held the
chief constable and resident magistrate re-
sponsibe, and accused them both of deliber-
| ate murder.
Gladstone, in speech of considerable
length, protested against Balfours statement
that he expected only hostility am no assist
ance from the opposition. Whenever any
thing beneficial for Ireland was proposed the
opposition hailed it with delight and did
everything possible to further it, despite the
unwise coercion of the government. Glad
stone went on to say that the govern
ment had made no attempt to show
that they had acted in conform
ity to illegal authority" in the harrow
ing Mitcheltown affair, but openly said
that it was not a question of Legality. Glad
stones speech In the main was denunciation
of the blood shedding at MitchelItown. He
blamed the government for the entire oc-
currence.
DILLON in an impasSio>ed speech ntimated
cowariice on the part of the police, and re-
affirmed the sentiments uttered in defense OF
freq speech and the right to hold public
meetings
Parnell moved an adjournment to the de-
bate and desired to add an amendment de
manding a sworn inquiry into the facts Of
the Mitchelltown tragedy.
Smith Conservative leader. reminded hin
that this could be done at the third reading.
After some further debate the speaker left
the chair and the house went into COMMITTEES
of the whole, and later adjourned
Lonergan's FuBeral-Another Riot.
MITCHELLTowN, Sept b. - Thousands
took part Monday in the funeral procession
of Lonergan, the old man killed by tie rife
volley of the police Friday. The procession
started about . o'clock in the afternoon. Il
was fully half mile long, and conducted In
an orderly manner. The vast numbers qui
city dispersed after the funeral. A public
house riot occurred at Ballyporeen Sunday